SBE 17: Tenth Khandhaka: Chapter 2

Then king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, conquered the troops and vehicles, the realm, the treasuries and storehouses of king Dîghîti of Kosala, and took possession of them.

And king Dîghîti of Kosala, O Bhikkhus, together with his consort, went forth to Benares. Wandering from place to place he came to Benares, and there at Benares, O Bhikkhus, king Dîghîti of Kosala dwelt, together with his consort, at a certain place near the town, in a potter's dwelling, in disguise, in the guise of a wandering ascetic.

'(The queen said): "If I do not obtain it, Lord, I shall die."

5. 'Now at that time, O Bhikkhus, the Brâhmana who was domestic chaplain to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, was a friend of king Dîghîti of Kosala. And king Dîghîti of Kosala, O Bhikkhus, went to the place where that Brâhmana, the domestic chaplain to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, was; having approached him he said to that Brâhmana, the domestic chaplain to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi: "Your lady-friend, my beloved, is pregnant, and the longing of pregnant women has come upon her; and she desires (&c., as above)."

'(The Brâhmana replied): "Well, O king, let us see the queen also."

'Then, O Bhikkhus, the queen-consort of king Dîghîti of Kosala went to the place where that Brâhmana, the domestic chaplain to king Brahmadatta

Then, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi gave order to his attendants: "Do, my friends, what the Brâhmana, my domestic chaplain, tells you."

'Thus, O Bhikkhus, the queen-consort of king Dîghîti of Kosala obtained the sight at sunrise, &c., and the drinking of the water in which the swords were washed.

'And, O Bhikkhus, the queen-consort of king Dîghîti of Kosala, when the child in her womb had reached maturity, gave birth to a boy. They called

Then king Dîghîti of Kosala, O Bhikkhus, caused young Dîghâvu to dwell outside the town. And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, dwelling outside the town, ere long learnt all arts.'

8. 'At that time, O Bhikkhus, the barber of king Dig-hid of Kosala dwelt at the court of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi. Now, O Bhikkhus, this barber of king Dîghîti of Kosala saw king Dîghîti of Kosala dwelling, together with his consort, at Benares, at a certain place near the town, in a potter's dwelling, in disguise, in the guise of a wandering ascetic. When he had seen him, he went to the place where king Brahmadatta of Kâsi was, and having approached him, he said to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi: "King Dîghîti of Kosala, Your Majesty, dwells, together with his consort, at Benares, at a certain place near the town, in a potter's dwelling, in disguise, in the guise of a wandering ascetic."

9. Then, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi gave order to his attendants: "Well, my friends, bring king Dîghîti of Kosala and his consort before me."

And those people, O Bhikkhus, accepted this order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying),

'And those people, O Bhikkhus, accepted this order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying), "Yes, Your Majesty," bound king Dîghîti of Kosala and his consort firmly with strong ropes, tied their arms to their backs, had them close shaven, and led them around with loud beatings of drums from road to road and from cross-way to cross-way.

10. 'Now, O Bhikkhus, young Dîghâvu thought "For a long time I have not seen my father and mother. What if I were to go and see my father and mother." And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, entered Benares, and saw his father and mother, bound firmly with strong ropes, their arms tied to their backs, close shaven, and being led around with loud beating of drums from "road to road and from cross-way to cross-way. When he saw that, he went up to his father and mother.

'And for the second time, &c. And for the third time, O Bhikkhus, king Dîghîti of Kosala said to young- Dîghâvu, &c. And for the third time said the people (&c., down to:) "He who is clever will understand it."

'Then those people, O Bhikkhus, having led king Dîghîti of Kosala and his consort around from road to road and from cross-way to cross-way, led them out of the town by the southern gate, hewed them in four pieces to the south of the town, threw the pieces away to the four quarters, stationed there a troop of soldiers, and went away.

12. 'Then young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, went to Benares, got strong drink there, and made those soldiers drink it. When they were drunk and had fallen down, he gathered the pieces (of the two bodies), made a funeral pile, put his father's and his mother's bodies on that pile, set it on fire, and raising his clasped hands he three times circumambulated the funeral pile.

'Now at that time, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi had gone up on to the terrace of his splendid palace. And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, saw young Dîghâvu, who, raising his clasped 'hands, three times circumambulated the

'"Well, my good young man, learn it."

'And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, arose in the night, at dawn's time, and sung in the elephant stables in a beautiful voice, and played upon the lute. And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, having risen in the night, at dawn, heard that singing in a beautiful voice and that playing upon the lute in the elephant stables. On hearing that he asked his attendants: "Who is it, my friends, who has risen in the night, at dawn's time, and has sung in the elephant stables in so beautiful a voice, and has played upon the lute?"

14. '(The attendants replied): "A young pupil, Your Majesty, of such and such an elephant trainer, has risen in the night, at dawn, and has sung it the elephant stables in so beautiful a voice, and has played upon the lute."

'(The king said): "Well, my friends, bring that young man to me."

'Those people accepted, O Bhikkhus, that order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying), "Yes, Your Majesty," and brought young Dîghâvu to him.

'"Is it you, my good young man, who has risen in the night, &c.?"

'Young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, accepted this order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying), "Yes, Your Majesty," and in order to win (the king's) favour he sung in a beautiful voice and played upon the lute.

'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, said to young Dîghâvu: "Be my attendant, my good young man."

'Young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, accepted this order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying), "Yes, Your Majesty." And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, became (a servant) of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, rising before him, lying down after him, willingly obeying all his commands, agreeable in his conduct, pleasing in his words. And ere long, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi gave to young Dîghâvu an intimate position of trust.

15. 'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, said to young Dîghâvu: "Well, my young friend, put the horses to the chariot; we will go a-hunting." And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, accepted this order of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi (by saying), "Yes, Your Majesty," put the horses to the chariot, and said to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi: "The horses have been put to your chariot, Your Majesty; you may do now as you think fit."

'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, ascended the chariot, and young Dîghâvu drove the chariot: and he drove the chariot in such a way that the hosts (of the royal retinue) went one way, and the chariot went another way.

16. 'And young Dîghâvu thought, O Bhikkhus: "This king Brahmadatta of Kâsi has done much harm to us. By him we have been robbed of our troops and vehicles, our realm, our treasuries and storehouses. And he has killed my father and mother. Now the time has come to me to satisfy my hatred,"--(thinking thus) he unsheathed his sword. Then, O Bhikkhus, young Dîghâvu thought: "My father said to me in the hour of his death: 'Do not look long, my dear Dîghâvu, and do not look short. For not by hatred, my dear Dîghâvu, is hatred appeased; by not-hatred, my dear Dîghâvu, hatred is appeased.' It would not become me to transgress my father's word,"--(thinking thus) he put up his sword.

And for the second time . . . . and for the third time young Dîghâvu thought, O Bhikkhus: "This king Brahmadatta of Kâsi has done much harm to us" (&c., down to:)--(thinking thus) he put up his sword.

At that moment, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, frightened, terrified, full of anguish, and alarmed, suddenly arose.

'And young Dîghâvu, O Bhikkhus, said to king

17. 'Then, O Bhikkhus, young Dîghâvu, stroking with his left hand the head of king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, and with his right hand unsheathing his sword, said to king Brahmadatta of Kâsi: "I am that young Dîghâvu, O king, the son of king Dîghîti of Kosala. You have done much harm to us. By you we have been robbed of our troops and vehicles, our realm, our treasuries and storehouses. And you have killed my father and mother. Now the time has come to me to satisfy my hatred."

'Then, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi fell down before young Dîghâvu, inclining his head to his feet, and said to young Dîghâvu: "Grant me my life, my dear Dîghâvu! Grant me my life, my dear Dîghâvu!"

"How can I grant you your life, O king? It is you, O king, who should grant me my life!"

'"Well, my dear Dîghâvu, then grant me my life, and I will grant you your life."

Thus, O Bhikkhus, king Brahmadatta of Kâsi and young Dîghâvu granted each other their lives and took each other's hands and swore an oath not to do any harm to each other.

'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, said to young Dîghâvu: "Well, my dear Dîghâvu, put now the horses to the chariot; we will go."

18. 'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, having entered Benares, convoked his ministers and counsellors and said to them: "If you should see, my good Sirs, young Dîghâvu, the son of king Dîghîti of Kosala, what would you do to him?"

'Some (of the ministers) replied: "We would cut off his hands, Your Majesty;" (others said): "We would cut off his feet"--"We would cut off his hands and feet"--"We would cut off his ears"--"We would cut off his nose"--"We would cut off his ears and his nose"--"We would cut off his head."

'"This is young Dîghâvu, Sirs, the son of king Dîghîti of Kosala. It is not permitted to do any-thing to him; he has granted me my life, and I have granted him his life."

19. 'And king Brahmadatta of Kâsi, O Bhikkhus, said to young Dîghâvu: "Why did your father say to you in the hour of his death: 'Do not look long, &c.'--what did your father mean by that?"

'What my father said, O king, in the hour of his death: 'Not long'--(means): 'Let not your hatred last long;' this did my father mean when he said in the hour of his death: 'Not long.' And

'Now, O Bhikkhus, if such is the forbearance and mildness of kings who wield the sceptre and bear the sword, so much more, O Bhikkhus, must you so let your light shine before the world that you, having embraced the religious life according to so well-taught a doctrine and a discipline, are seen to be forbearing and mild.'

End of the first Bhânavâra, which contains the story of Dîghâvu.

Footnotes